Letters

Don Bauder’s November 21 article, “Hispanic vote calls shots in San Diego (City Lights),” regarding changes to voting demographics, was definitely a factor in the recent election. However, I believe that there is another important factor. The Republicans have become old and boring, and most people are aware of their true intentions. Their message is reactionary, and their primary purpose is to create conditions that allow the wealthy to retain their influence and suck money out of the government, e.g. football stadium.

Mom, apple pie, baseball, and religion are not enough to get one elected. People are looking for new ideas to help improve our ability to compete in a global economy. They are searching for candidates who can implement new ideas that will improve living standards for everyone, not just the wealthy.

The Democrats need to take note of this. They need to come up with better ideas than simply raising taxes and handing out money. Everyone who can work, should work. Everyone should contribute something to the government.

As a strong mayor, Bob Filner will have the opportunity to present and implement new ideas in San Diego. It’s critical for him to be pragmatic and fiscally responsible. I suggest his first act be a comprehensive audit of the city’s financial condition. This is especially important considering that Jerry Sanders projected a $4.9 million surplus for fiscal year 2014 before the election, while the SD Independent Budget Analyst predicted a $84.2 million deficit after the election. We must not allow our public officials to lie to us, and we must make them accountable when they do lie.

Ron HarrisScripps Ranch

Got Your Back

I am actually writing in response to a response. One of the first things that I came across, after picking up the latest Reader today, was a comment written by Marco Alvarez in your Letters section November 21. Alvarez, for whatever reason, felt such contempt for Tomás Gayton’s “terrible” poetry (published in the October 18 issue) that he felt compelled to write you. And now, I do too.

As a barista at a local coffeeshop that hosted a poetry night including Gayton for several years, I have heard my fair share of his stuff. While I don’t feel that my opinion of his stuff is relevant to why I am writing, I will say that he’s a stand-up guy.

The reason that I am writing is because I just feel like, even though everybody is entitled to their opinion, I just don’t understand what somebody gains by attacking somebody’s craft like Alvarez did. I actually paint a lot and have had to grapple with the idea that some of my best stuff might be disliked by people, and some of the stuff that I am initially hesitant to display are some of the pieces that garner the most attention and interest. People see things differently. People hear things differently (like poetry).

While Mr. Alvarez obviously didn’t enjoy Tomás’s poem, it moved him enough to take the time to write. So, it might just move somebody else to do some good in the world. Instead, Alvarez chose to further perpetuate the idea that it is alright to just put people down at random, when they are just trying to be true to who they are, because it isn’t agreeable to you or align with what you can appreciate. And that is wrong.

I would side with somebody that is at least trying to say something over somebody that is just writing to be — not even critical — just mean, any day of the week. Having served Tomás for years, I know that he will keep writing and won’t be deterred, so for that I am happy.

I just hope that this serves as a reminder to all of the poets and painters, all of the artists out there, that critics like Alvarez are the reason that — unfortunately, because a lot of artists are pretty sensitive! — you have to develop a thicker skin and take these comments with a grain of salt. But just in case you can’t, maybe somebody out there will have your back.

C. Klosvia email

Blur Request

The “Spotted in San Diego!” Style Stalker section by Ms. Kendra Clark (November 21) featured a woman with the caption “1 in 3 suffer from pattern blindness.” The woman does not suffer from pattern blindness. She is an excellent EVS custodian for UCSD Medical Center who is required to wear that uniform, and was likely going to or from work. She is also the nicest person you will meet doing the hardest job you can.

Shame on you, San Diego Reader, for publicly embarrassing a woman for wearing her required uniform. I believe a public apology is in order. Also, do you not have the technology to blur people’s faces? That would be a step in the right direction, in my opinion.

C.M.via email

Hands On

I’m calling in regards to your November 15 issue. I just finished reading it. It took me about an hour. By the time I was done, I noticed my hand was covered in black, oily ink. The back cover of your magazine that week was an ad for Beauty and the Beast, and the entire back of it is black. However, now, on my copy, there are all kinds of hand prints and smears that were transferred from my hand.

I would hope that in the future you folks use a better ink or some kind of sealant so you don’t spread that all over the place. I am now going to wash my hands, and I hope that never happens again. Thanks for the awful black mess.

Dennis Traversvia voicemail

According to the firm that prints the Reader, wet ink on the cover is rare, but from the letter to the editor it sounded as if the ovens were not hot enough to seal the ink on a small number of copies. — Editor

Comments

"According to ICE, deported people cannot come back ever; they are not even allowed to be a certain distance from the border. If her son was going to be able to get her papers it is called a permanent resident card, commonly referred to as the green card, to become a legal resident; citizenship is obtained after five years of living here legally."

You're incorrect on both accounts. Deported people may petition after 7 years of deportation. The petition could be denied for any number of reasons, including committing a crime while in the U.S., but many petitions are granted after deportation. And her son is a U.S. citizen, regardless of how the story reads, if he was born in the United States of America and there is proof of his birth there. ICE says a lot of crap that isn't true, they do this in order to keep their holding cells from flooding over.